Walking and Cycling to Schools at Ballyroan

Pilot project

In 2014 the National Transport Authority (NTA) granted funding to South Dublin County Council (SDCC) for a ‘Walking and Cycling to school pilot project’. This project involves liaison between a number of schools at Ballyroan in the Rathfarnham area, An Taisce ‘Green Schools’, the NTA ‘Green Schools Co-ordinator’ and SDCC. The project developed to include St. Colmcilles school; which was located on a temporary basis at Ballyroan but has since moved back to its permanent location at Knocklyon. The project expanded to include the catchment of the Knocklyon school as well. The NTA have provided funding to implement the programme and also to commence improvements to pedestrian and cycle facilities in the vicinity of the schools.

The aims of the project were as follows:

Achieve modal shift to sustainable modes of transport

Make walking and cycling to school a desirable and realistic option

Maximise connectivity between school population and the school cluster

Improve safety for all users both walking and cycling and indirectly improve safety for car users

There were four main aspects to the preliminary stage of the project,

Engagement with the schools, facilitated by An Taisce ‘Green Schools’

School Gate Assessment by An Taisce,

Pedestrian and Cycle Infrastructure Survey by South Dublin County Council,

Engagement with the schools by An Taisce ‘Green Schools’ to facilitate them to reach agreement on joint coordinated actions to promote more sustainable travel.

The preliminary stage of the project was completed in 2015.

Proposed Construction of a walking and cycling scheme at Ballyroan, Dublin 16 and Old Orchard, Dublin 14.

In 2016 the NTA have granted funding to SDCC to proceed to implement Phase 1 of the scheme; which involves the construction of a walking and cycling route at Ballyroan, Dublin 16 and Old Orchard, Dublin 14.A Part 8 public consultation process is underway for the construction of a walking and cycling scheme at Ballyroan, Dublin 16 and Old Orchard, Dublin 14.Particulars are available at http://consult.sdublincoco.ie